Port of Long Beach partners with MARAD on nuclear-powered shipping study

The Port of Long Beach has signed an agreement with the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) to examine the requirements for the safe integration of nuclear technologies into the shipping sector.

IMAGE: Container ship leaving the Port of Long Beach. Getty Images

Under the agreement, Long Beach will become the first US port to formally assess what would be needed to safely accommodate commercial vessels powered by small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs are compact, factory-built nuclear reactors designed to deliver flexible and scalable power generation.

As part of the study, the port will collaborate with MARAD, the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the US Coast Guard to evaluate the opportunities and the regulatory, operational and safety considerations associated with the technology.

The agreement does not commit any funding from the Port or endorse a specific technology.

“While any potential application remains years away, we're taking a proactive approach to exploring clean energy innovations,” the Port of Long Beach said.

In May, the US Department of Transportation (DoT) invited nuclear technology developers and shipping companies to provide information that will support the development of SMRs for commercial shipping applications.

By Tuhin Roy

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